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By Kinderlin Mannies and Kayli Vallely

   When you walk through the doors of Quincy High School, what do you feel? Foreboding? Looming disaster? Maybe. Many students at QHS spend their school days in a stupor, hiding in the background. Perhaps this is because they are unaware of the activities that students attending this school are part of.
   Possibly the answer to this problem is a resurgence of school spirit. If we all work together to improve the atmosphere at QHS, it will make our experience here that much more enjoyable. Let’s face it—we are here for roughly seven hours a day, five days a week. Why should we spend that much time feeling miserable?
   The newspaper staff came together and discussed how we can change the school culture. We all agree that we need to have more student involvement in activities. Many students abstain from participating in the pep rallies, thinking that they will appear stupid and vulnerable if they join in. But perhaps those who remain silent are the ones who need to reassess their attitudes.
   There are clubs that one can join to be more involved at school. One such club is the Spirit Club, which is also working to restore spirit to QHS. If you’re interested in joining the Spirit Club, contact Senior Lydia Sandlin. Another prominent club is FFA, which is an organization that works to help you find and sharpen your talents and skills, from public speaking to floral design.
   Many students feel that there should be more dances at Quincy High School. Students feel that they are a fun way to socialize and dance with one’s peers. However, in requesting privileges we all must realize that we will have to take more responsibility for our actions. According to Mr. Gallagher, school dances don’t happen as often because of poor attendance. Obviously, if we want to bring them back, we need to eliminate the above problem. This is up to the students at Quincy High School. Furthermore, Mr. Gallagher stated that the eighth graders this year will not be attending any senior high dances, but they will have their own junior high dances to attend. Also, the freshman will be invited to come to both the junior high dances, and the senior high dances.
   Furthermore, the Keep It Clean Campaign was established last year in order to encourage students to respect their campus and also themselves. It stipulated that students needed to cease littering on campus, and that the language on campus needed to be kept professional. This campaign incorporates some good ideas for improving our school’s atmosphere, and if we all work together to pull it off, then the payoffs will be maximized.
   If we improve the atmosphere at Quincy High School, then our time spent here will be more rewarding and enjoyable. So get involved, improve school spirit, and attending Quincy High will be that much more fun!

By Cody Eliason

   Welcome back to another year of school! New teachers, new computers, and…new RULES!
   In truth, there aren’t really any new rules - there are just new consequences for breaking those already established. The administration is cracking down on students who break the rules or skip school.
   A strong new tardy policy has been put into place in an effort to encourage students to get to class on time. This policy lands harsh consequences, resulting in detention on the first offense, and a truancy after three or more.
   Cutting class also has severe consequences. An unexcused absence results in an automatic F the day’s class and Saturday School. Four to six unexcused absences results in students receiving an F for the entire quarter, and after seven or more cuts, students may face suspension, a transfer to court school, or a transfer to a continuation school.
   Referrals are handled just as strictly. In a single semester, one to two referrals result in detention and parent calls, three to four result in Saturday School and a parent call, five to six result in two days of Saturday School and a parent conference, seven to nine result in suspension, and ten or more may result in a transfer to court school or continuation school.
   Many may be wondering what Saturday School is. "In-school suspension was not working." said Vice Principal Mr. Hood. The answer to this was Saturday School. According to Mr. Hood, Saturday School will be held every other Saturday from 8:00 to 12:00 and will consist mostly of students cleaning the school. Students who skip out on Saturday School are given a truancy and handed over to the District Attorney. Truancies may result in fines of $100 or more and other charges against the parents of the student in question.
   Students have also been curious about the dress code. Various students claim that some teachers notice certain violations while ignoring others. Mr. Hood states that it is up to the teachers to enforce the dress code. If the teacher does nothing about it, the student goes unnoticed. It is up to the teachers to enforce the dress code and the students to abide by it.
   In conclusion, there are not any new rules to remember, only that the consequences have changed. As harsh as the rules may seem, the administration is doing its very best to prepare students for the outside working world. So remember, behave, be on time, and have a great year QHS!